Practice daily gratitude, Helen*, 51

I’m fortunate in that I only suffer from the occasional bout of insomnia – usually when a big work deadline is looming. But one thing I do find helpful is practising gratitude. I try to think of seven things I am thankful for from that day – like a message from a friend, seeing some nature or a piece of music I enjoyed – and that definitely helps me to relax and switch off from work worries. On a good day, I will often drift off by about number four.

Listen to sleep hypnotherapy, Hannah, 38

I got terrible insomnia in the last trimester of each of my pregnancies. I’d only get about two hours of decent sleep a night; I’d be tired all day, but once I went to bed, I couldn’t sleep.

The one thing that has consistently helped me is listening to the Deep Sleep hypnotherapy tracks on the Clementine app. There’s a specific track called Get Back To Sleep that seems to do the trick for me every time.

Create a sleep routine (however long it may be), Suswati, 36

My insomnia was at its worst when I was 15. I walked around the house at night and tried to sleep on the floor or sofa after lying awake for hours in bed. At its worst, I was sleeping for an hour a night and even tried to sleep in the bathtub.

Over the years, I’ve developed an extensive sleep routine to help improve the situation. I use a weighted blanket, set the air con to keep the room cool at about 17°C, wear a sleep mask, use blackout blinds and have lots of pillows between my arms and legs. It’s been 24 years of living with insomnia, but this extensive list has meant that I now have some days of deep sleep – finally.

16 women on what genuinely helps them with chronic insomnia